Josh The Otter Program Teaches Pre-K Water Safety

Nolin River Lake USACE Park Ranger Danielle Robertson poses with kids during Josh The Otter event.

Nolin River Lake USACE Park Ranger Danielle Robertson gave a helping hand May 3rd, teaching young children about water safety from a different perspective using a character called Josh the Otter. She went to the Edmonson County Library and the Edmonson Learning Academy Preschool and read them a storybook Josh the Baby Otter.  She helped with otter arts and crafts so younger kids could learn water safety messages.  A total of 34 kids and parents attended the two programs.

Josh the Otter is a water safety campaign represented by a national annual event held in May — National Water Safety Month. It was designed and created to help children comprehend and remember to stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult. The children participating are around three to five years old.  They take a pledge as part of the activities; “I promise to be a good son or daughter. I promise to get an adult when I go near the water.”

The mission is to educate children and hold events about water safety through drowning prevention campaigns and early childhood water safety training, according to Robertson. "It is a perfect match for the Corps’ similar water safety messages, and it is aimed at younger children and their parents so they can learn together."

The group also learned about otters, swimming lesson options in the area, and to always wear a life jacket while boating or near the water at the lake. “It was a fun opportunity to play, have crafts and masks and to teach our future visitors of Nolin Lake how to be safe around the water” said Robertson.

​Josh the Otter book, coloring books and masks were donated by the Josh Collins Memorial Foundation. The foundation was started after a child, Joshua Collingsworth, passed away due to complications from a drowning accident near Omaha. His family created the Josh the Otter campaign for water safety in his memory.